Hydraulic hoist



C. DE L. RCE- HYDRAULIC HOIST Filed Feb. 15. 1923 2 Sheets-5heet 1Patented July 22, 1924.

eren

ras

HYDRAULIC HoIsT.

Application led February 15, 1923. Serial No. 619,245.

To @ZZ whom t may concern:

Beit known that I, CHARLES I). RICE, a citizen of the United States,residing at West Hartford, in the county of Hartford and State ofConnecticut, have invented a new and useful Improvement in HydraulicHoists, of which the following is a specification. Y

This inventionv relates to those hydraulic hoists which are moreparticularly ladapted to be placed on ships for transferring freightfrom ship to dock or lighter o-r from lighter or dock to ship, and whichare so designed that a relatively short movement of the hydraulicplunger gives a long travel to the package carrying hook.

In prior apparatus of this character where the cable passes back andforth around a plurality of pulleys mounted relatively on the liftingplunger and on a fixed part of the apparatus so` that the movement ofthe plunger is multiplied at the hook end of the cable, in order to keepthe cable taut on the pulleys and cause the hook to lower properly whenidle, it has been necessary to add a very heavy weight to the hook endof the cable and such weight makes it difcult and laborious for thefreight handlers to carry the hook around and engageit with anddisengage it from the packages of merchandise.

rIhe objectief the present'invention is to provide an apparatus of thisnature with means for feeding the cable outward when the plunger islowered, and -arrange such means so that it is idle and performs no workor offers no resistance when the plunger is raised for lifting the hook,whereby the employment of al heavy weight at the hook end of the cableis obviated and the manipulation of the hook is made easy.

rThisY object is attained in the apparatus illustrated by arrangingmechanism which is actuated by the up and down movement of the plungerin such manner that it will be engaged with the cable beyond theoperating pulleys and feed the cable outward when the`V controllingvalve is released and the plunger descends, and be disengaged from thecable when the controlling valve admits pressure to the cylinder and theplunger rises.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 shows a side elevation of a hoistconstructed according to this invention, with the cable omitted. Fig. 2shows a front elevation of the hoist. .Fig 3 isa top view. V'F.ig. t isa transverse section on" the plane indicated by the dotted line 1 4 onFig. 2. Fig. 5 is a side view of the upper end of the control valve rod,its support and the valve operating lever. Fig. 6 is a section of one ofthe frame beams, showing the clamp for holding the fixed end of the'cable, on plane indicated by the dotted lined-6 on Fig. 2. Fig. 7 shows,on larger scale, a side elevation of the mechanism that is actuated ybythe movement of the plunger for feeding the cable outward. Fig. 8 is asection on the plane indicated'bythe dotted line 8 8 on Fig. 7, lookingdown. Fig. 9 is a side elevation of the contro-l valve. Fig. 10 is ahorizontal section of the valve on the plane indicated by the dottedline 10-10 on Fig. 9, looking up. Fig. 11 is a section of the valve onthe plane of the dotted line 11-11 on Fig. 9, looking in'fthe directionindicated by the arrows. Fig. 12 isfa section of the valve on theplaneindicated by the dotted line 12-'12 on Fig. 10. Fig. 13,is asection of the cable pulleys: carried on the upper end of the plunger.Fig. 14f`is a section of the lower end of the cylinder.

The frame of the apparatus illustrated comprises two T-beams 15 whichare ar'- ranged vertical and parallel, with their lower ends fastened toa lowerl deck 16 of the vessel and their' upper ends extending upthrough the upper deck 17 the necessary dis-- tance to provide a trackof suitable length for guiding the upper end of the hydraulic plunger18. The plunger is capable of Ymovement up and down in the cylinder 19that has outwardly extending forked wings 20 which embrace and arefastened tol the frame beams so as to support the cylinder verticallybetween the beams.

F astened to the lower lhead of the cylinder is a yoke 21 carrying, inthe form shown, four pulleys 22, 23, 24 and'25, and fastened to theupper end of the plunger is ayoke 26 carrying four pulleys 27, 28, 29and V30, Fig. 2. The number of stationary pulleys attached tothecylinder andthe number of travelling pulleys carried by the plunger mayof course be varied according to desire. The pulleys may be mounted onanti-friction bearings 300 arranged on a tubular axle suitably packed sothey can all be lubricated from a common source. The plunger yoke hasoutwardly extending forked wings 31 which embrace the webs of theT-beams and guide the upper end ofthe plunger in its travel up and down.VBlocks 32 preferably of water-proofed wood are desirably inserted inthe opening in the wings yand iitted to the beam webs so as to provideeilicient bearing surfaces between the fixed beams and the movableplunger yoke, Figs. 2, 7.

Mounted on one of the frame beams near the lower end of the cylinder isa drum 33 attached to which is a ratchet wheel 3st-, Figs. 2, 4l. TheaXle 35 of the drum Ihas squared end for the application of a crank anda lpawl 36 is mounted on the bracket 37 that supports the drum, inposition to be engaged with the ratchet wh-eel and prevent the drum fromrotating backward. Attached to the same frame beam near the upper end ofthe cylinder is a clamp 38, Figs. Q, 6, which comprises two plates thatare adapted to be forced tog-ether by the screw and nut 39 for grippingthe lined end of the lifting cable. Mounted on a bracket fastened to theframe beam on the other side of the cylinder near the `lower end is anidler pulley l0 and above this is an idler pulley ll, Figs. l, 2.

Connected to the yoke which is mounted on the upper end of the plungeris the upper end of a rack bar 42. This rack bar is movable up and downin a trough-shaped guide that is connected by brackets 44tto the framebeam. Engaging with this rack is a pinion e5 mounted on an arbor i6 thatis supported by a bracket 47 attached to the frame beam. A roll 48mounted on a bracket 49 holds the rack in proper mesh with the pinion,Figs. 7 8. Fastened to the outer end of the arbor 46 is a wheel 50 theperipheral surface of which is desirably covered with leather. As theplunger travels up and down the rack moves with it, and by engagementwith the pinion rotates this wheel in one direc-tion as the plunger goesup and in the opposite direction as the plunger goes down. Pivotallymounted on a bracket 51 fastened to the frame beam near the top of thecylinder is an arm which carries a wheel 53 that also desirablv has itsperipheral surface covered with leather. This small wheel 53 is locatedopposite the large wheel and the .space between them is in line with theouter periphery of the idler pulley il, Fig. 8. F astened to theswinging arm is a spring plate 54 the lower end of which is connected bya link 55 with an angle lever 56 which is mount-ed on a bracket 57fastened to the side beam. Hinged to the angle lever is a rod 58, theouter end of which is normally drawn up by a spring 59, Fig. 7. Thespring tends to lift the rod and turn the angle lever in such directionthat the spring plate swings the arm in and causes the small wheel topress against the large wheel, or the cable which passes between them.

The upper end Vof the valve rod 60 is con nected above the upper deckwith an angle lever 6l that is pivoted on a bracket 62 fastened to theframe beam, and that has a handle 63 by means vof which the lever may berocked for raising or lowering the valve rod, Figs. l, 5. Mounted on thevalve rod is a roller 64:0, Figs. 7, 8, which extends over the rod 58that is drawn up by the spring 59 and that tends to hold the littlewheel in contact with the large wheel. When the valve rod is depressedby means of the operating handle this roll engages and pushes down therod 53 and swings the angle lever 56 in such manner as to carry thelittle wheel away from the large wheel. Clamped on the valve rod nearthe upper end oft thc cylinder is an arbor carrying a roll (S-it andclamped on the valve rod below the lower end of lthe cylinder `is anarbor carrying a roll 65. Extending from the rack bar near the lower endis a pin 66 which when the rack is near the lower limit of its travelengages the lower roll V55 mounted on the valve rod so as to move thevalve rod down, and which when the rack bar is near the upper limit ofits travel engagesthe upper roll 6e in such manner as to lift the valverod. The clamps are adjustable on the valve rod so that the time ofengage-ment of the pin with these rolls maybe varied for altering thetime of the shifting of the valve rod. The upper end of the valve rodpasses loosely through a housing 67 and a cap 53 which lits on thehousing to close the openinff therethrough without obstructing thelateral movement of the valve rod, Fig. 5. The lower end of the valverod is connected with the valve lever 39, 9, l0, which is fastened tothe arbor 70 that has an arm 7l within the valve casing 72, which armcarries the valve The valve has a recess 74.- in its seating face, andit is adapter. te be swung across the ports 75, 73, Fig. as the valverod is moved up and down. rlhe power supply pipe 77 from the source ofpower, communicates with the valve chamber 7 3 'back of the valve. Apipe 79 connects the port with the lower end oit' the cylinder below theplunger, and a discharge pipe 80 leads from the port 7G to any suitablepoint. When the valve is at one limit the port 75 is open and power isadmitted from the pipe 77 to the cylinder through the pipe 7 9. When thevalve is at the other limit the port 75 is cut off from the power butopen-ed to the port 7S, and then the power beneath the plunger er1-hausts through the pipe 79, valve recess and port 76 to the dischargepipe 80. ln Fig. 1l the valve is shown in neutral position. Above theupper deck mounted on a pedestal 81 is a pulley 32 with its innerperiphery in line with the opening between the large wheel and smallwheel en ree the side of the frame, and depending from this pedestal isa tube 84 in which is fittedV through the clamp 38 which is tightened s0as to firmly grip the cable and relieve the drum from strain. From theclamp the cable passes over the pulley 27 on the plunger,

Y down Varound the pulley 22 at the lower end of the cylinder, up aroundthe pulley 28 on the plunger, down around the pulley 23 on t-hecylinder, up and around the pulley 29 Von the plunger, down around thepulley 24 on the cylinder, up around the pulley 30 on the plunger, anddown around Vthe pulley 25 on the cylinder. It is then carried up on theinside of the lower idler pulley 40 and around the outside of the upperidler pulley 41 and between 4the largeY and small wheels and through theguide tube 83 and over the guide pulley 82 above deck. From there it isled by the usual means to the commonly used boom. With the particulardesign illustrated the travel of the plunger multiplies the travel ofthe work or hook end of the cable eight times so that if the plunger hasa travel of nine feet the hook end of the cable will be carriedseventy-two feet.

Then the handle is turned by an operator so as to lift the valve rod andopen the valve the fluid under pressure, which may be oil, is allowed toenter the cylinder and lift the lunfre'r the exhaust at this time beino"p b 7 D closed. 'Ihe downward movement ofv the valve rod for thispurpose through the mechanism described moves the small wheel away fromthe large wheel on the side of theframe so that as the large wheel isrotated it performs no work, that is, the cable is not gripped betweenthesel wheels when the plunger vis raised and the hook end of the cableis being drawn up. When the operator moves the handle in the oppositedirection the valve is turned so as to shut oif the pressure and openthe exhaust, and then the uid escaping from beneath the plunger allowsthe plunger to lower and the hook end of the cable to pay out. As thevalve rod is moved in this direction for this purpose the roll carriedby the valve rod is lifted from the rod which is connected with theswinging arm that carries the small wheel, and allows the spring to drawthe rod so that the small wheel will move in and cause the cable to begripped between the wheels. `With the parts in this relation as thelarge vwheel is rotated by the downward movement of the rack, the cablefbeyond the operating pulleys is fed up just as fast as the descendingplunger slacks the cable, so that be used with the cable is kept tighton the pulleys and the hook end of the cable is free to drop without theaddition of a weight. When theV valve is turned for again admittingpressure and the plunger is moved upward, the movement of the valve rodcauses the little wheel to be carried away from the large wheel andreleases the cable. In other words when the plunger descends and thecable is paid out the large and small wheels co-operate to keep thecable taut and feed out the free end, but when the plunger is lifted forraising the free end of the cable this auxiliary feed mechanism isreleased from the cable. Should the cable take-up mechanism fail to'properly function, owing to wear or other cause, the cable is retainedon the lower pulleys by bars 200 held by arms 201 fastened to the loweryoke, Figs. 2, 4.

The operator, of course, can shift the valve at any point of the travelof the 'plunger for stopping or changing its move- However, should theoperator not operate the valve the stop pin on the rack ment.

will engage the wheels that are mounted on the valve rod, near thelimits of movement of the rack and move the valve rod so as to turn thevalve into neutral position and stop the movement of the plunger.

In the preferred construction the cylinder is of cast iron bored fromend to end and the plunger is tubular and slightly less in diameter thanthe bore of the cylinder. A

flexible packing 180 held in placeby a ring Y 181 closes the jointbetween the plunger 'and the upper end of the cylinder. end of theplunger is closed by a plug 182 to which the upper pulley yoke isfastened, Fig. 2. At the lower end the plunger has a head 183 which isfitted to the cylinder, Fig. 14. The plug at the top and head at thebottom of the plunger are held together by a rod 184. In the peripheryof the head are spiral grooves 185 which permit the passage of oil orother pressure lubricant up into Vthe cylinder about the plunger. Withthis construction the plunger is guided at rIhe upper the lower end bythe head and at the upper Y end by the wings 31 that'extend from theupper yoke to the upright T-beains so that the plunger can be readilycentralized and for causing the approach of the traveling pulleys. A

2. A hydraulic hoist having' sets of cooperating pulleys 'for paying outand drawing up cable, a hoisting cable passing around said pulleys,means for causing the pulleys to approach and recede with relation toeach other,` and rotatable auxiliary means adapted to grip said hoistingcable between them for paying out cable, operated in conjunction withthe relative movements of the pulleys.

3. A hydraulic hoist having co-operating stationary and travelingpulleys for paying out and drawing up a hoisting cable, a movableplunger carrying the traveling pulleys, and auxiliary means actuated bythe movements of the plunger adapted to grip and pay out the hoistingcable when the traveling pulleys are moved toward the stationarypulleys. I

1l. A hydraulic hoist having co-.operating stationary and travelingpulleys 'or paying out and drawing up hoisting cable, and auxiliarymeans adapted to engage and grip a hoisting cable between them andlie-ep the cable taut on the pulleys when thetraveling pulleys are movedtoward the stationary pulleys.'

5. A hydraulic hoist having co-operating stationary and travelingpulleys tor paying' out and drawing up cable, a hoisting cable passingaround said pulleys, and auxiliary pulleys on the work side or' theoperating pull ys adapted to grip the hoisting cable between them andpay out said cable when the traveling pulleys are moved toward thestationary pulleys.

(3. A hydraulic hoist having a plurality of stationary pulleys and aplurality ot traveling pulleys movable toward and 'from each other forpaying out and drawing up cable, a hoisting cable passing around saidpulleys, and auxiliary pulleys on the work side oit the sets orco-operating work pulleys adapted to grip between them and pay out saidcable when the traveling pulleys move toward the stationary pulleys.

7. A hydraulic hoist having a cylinder, plunger movable into and out ofthe cylinder, stationary cable pulleys, cable pulleys movable with theplunger, a hoisting cable passing around said pulleys, and auxiliarymeans operatively controlled by the movements of the plunger for payingout cable when the movable pulleys approach the stationary pulleys.

8a A hydraulic hoist having cylinder, a plunger movable into and out ofthe cylinder, a yolre supporting a plurality of cable pulleys attachedto the cylinder, a yolre supporting a plurality .of cable pulley-smounted on the plunger, a cable passing around said pulleys andauxiliary means for paying out cable when said plunger pulleys approachsaid cylinder pulley-s.

9. A hydraulic hoist'having a cylinder, a plunger movable into and outof the cylinder, stationary cable pulleys, cable pulleys movable withthe plunger, auxiliary pulleys and mechanism operably connected with theplunger for rotating the auxiliary pulleys and causing them to pay outcable when the movable pulleys approach the stationary pulleys.

l0. A hydraulic hoist having a cylinder, a plunger movable into and outof the cylinder, stationary cable pulleys, cable pulleys movable withthe plunger, auxiliary pulleys, and a rack movable with the plunger forrotating the auxiliary pulleys and cansing them to pay out cable whenthe movable pulleys approach the stationary pulleys.

11. A hydraulic hoist having a cylinder, a plunger movable into and outof the cyling der, cable pulleys attached to the cylinder, cable pulleysmounted on the plunger, and auxiliary means operated by the movements ofthe plunger to pay out cable when the pulleys on the plunger approachthe pulleys connected with the cylinder.

12. A. hydraulic hoist having a. cylinder, a plunger movable into andout of the cylinder, cable pulleys attached to the cylinder` cablepulleys mounted on the plunger, auxiliary pulleys adapted to pay outcable when the pulleys on the plunger approach the pulleys connectedwith the cylinder, a valve and connections for admitting pressure to andexhausting pressure from the cylinder, means for operating the valve,connections between the plunger and auxiliary pulleys for rotating theauxiliary pulleys, and connections between the valve operating means andthe auxiliary pulleys for rendering them operative and inoperativeaccording to the condition of the valve.

13. A hydraulic hoist having a cylinder, a plunger movable into and outof the cylinder, a valve for admitting pressure to and exhaustingpressure from the cylinder, means for actuating the valve, stationaryand traveling cable pulleys for paying out and drawing up cable,auxiliary pulleys adapted to grip and pay out cable when the mainpulleys operate to pay out cable, and means for controlling theoperation of the auxiliary pulleys actuated. from the plunger and valveactuating means.

14. A hydraulic hoist having a cylinder, plunger movable into and out ofthe cyliir der, stationary and traveling cable pulleys for paying outand .drawing up cable, and auxiliary pulleys operated by the movementsof the plunger and adapted to grip and pay out cable when ,the mainpulleys operate to pay out cable.

l5. A hydraulic hoist having a cylinder, a plunger movable into and outof the cylin der, fa valve and valve actuating means :tor controllingpressure in the cylinder, stationary cable pulleys, pulleys mounted onllfi the plunger, and auxiliary pulleys actuated by the movements of theplunger and controlled by the valve operating means for gripping thecable When the plunger carries its pulleys toward the stationarypulleys.

16. A hydraulic hoist having a cylinder, a plunger movable into and outof the cylinder, a valve and valve actuating means for controllingpressure in the cylinder, stationary cable pulleys, pulleys mounted onthe plunger, auxiliary pulleys, a rack connected with the plunger forcausing the rotation of the auxiliary pulleys, means on said rackadapted to shift the valve actuating means, and means connected with thevalve actuating means for causing the auxiliary pulleys to move into andout of operative position.

17. A hydraulic hoist having a cylinder, a plunger movable into and outof the cylinder, a valve for admitting pressure into and exhaustingpressure from the cylinder be neath the plunger, stationary cablepulleys, cable pulleys movable with the plunger, auxiliary pulleys,means connected With the valve actuating means for causing the auxiliarypulleys to move toward and from each other, and means connected With theplunger for causing the rotation of one of the auxiliary pulleys.

18. A hydraulic hoist having a cylinder, a plunger movable into and outof the cylinder, a valve and valve actuating means for admittingpressure into and exhausting pressure from the cylinder, stationarycable pulleys, cable pulleys movable With the plunger, auxiliarypulleys, and means operatively connected With the valve actuating meansand With the plunger for causing the auxiliary pulleys to move into andout of Working relation. i

19. A hydraulic hoist having a cylinder, a plunger movable into and outof the cylinder, a valve and valve actuating mechanism for admittingpressure into and exhausting pressure from the cylinder, a plurality ofstationary cable pulleys, a plurality of cable pulleys mounted on theplunger, auxiliary pulleys adapted to grip the cable on the Work side ofthe main pulleys, means connected With the valve actuating means forcausing the auxiliary pulleys to move into and out of operativerelation, means connected with the plunger for causing the rotation ofone of the auxiliary pulleys, and a drum for Winding the cable and clampfor gripping the cable on the fixed end side of the main pulleys.

CHARLES DEv LOS RICE.

